The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow channel of water between Iran and Oman, just 21 nautical miles across at its tightest point, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and LNG passes every day. For most of its modern history, the strait has functioned quietly. Tankers transit, insurance rates sit near zero, and Western drivers never hear the name. That changed on 28 February 2026, when Operation Epic